Least Bittern 81 
Genus IXOBRYCHUS. 
Very small Bitterns—wing 4 to 5—with the head and nape slightly 
crested ; the culmen about equal to or slightly exceeding the tarsus 
and the middle toe with claw, which are themselves about equal; ten 
tail-feathers ; sexes unlike. 
A large, world-wide genus, with two American species only. 
Least Bittern. Ixobrychus exilis. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 191—Colorado Records—Cooke 94, p. 183 ; 97 
pp. 61, 157, 197. 
Description.—Male—Crown, which is slightly crested, back and tail 
glossy black ; neck behind, greater wing-coverts and some of the inner 
quills rich chestnut, outer primaries slaty, tipped with rufous; other 
wing-coverts brownish-yellow ; under-parts, including the front and 
sides of the neck buffy-yellow and white, with narrow streaks of darker ; 
a dark maroon patch on either side of the breast; iris yellow, bill 
yellow, darker on the culmen, legs greenish-yellow. Length 14; wing 
4-8; tail 1-85; culmen 1-80; tarsus 1-75. 
The female has the black of the crown and back replaced by a rich, 
dark glossy-chestnut, more dusky on, the former; a pale buffy stripe 
along the outer borders of the scapulars is very conspicuous. 
Distribution From, New Brunswick and northern California south- 
wards to the West Indies and Brazil; aresident in the southern United 
States and southwards ; a summer bird only north of this, 
The Least Bittern is a rare summer resident in Colorado; about 
eight instances of its occurrence are recorded, but it is probably less 
rare than is generally supposed, as it is seldom seen owing to its skulking 
and nocturnal habits. It was first reported by Cooke on the strength 
of an example taken near Colorado Springs, now in the Aiken collection. 
This, and a second one found alive, but injured, in a yard in Colorado 
Springs, June 18th, 1907, are now in the Museum of Colorado College. 
Other records given by Cooke are: near Denver, reported by H. G. 
Smith; Berkeley Lake near Denver, June 8th, 1898, shot by 
R. Borcherdt; Middle Park, August 5th, 1897, W. A. Sprague ; South 
Park, May 14th, 1875, Carter ; and Wet Mountain Valley, A. D. Baker. 
Habits—Even more retiring and secretive than the 
American Bittern, this little species inhabits the most 
inaccessible and densely grown-up swamps and marshes. 
It has a habit of climbing up and clinging motionless 
to stout rushes, with its neck stretched out and its bill 
pointed up, when it is almost entirely invisible. 
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